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Boulder woman cited for cruelty after dog left in car killed by heat stroke

Police describe owner as cooperative, 'in distress''

By Mitchell Byars

Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
08/14/2014 02:28:33 PM MDT

Updated:
08/14/2014 02:29:30 PM MDT

Boulder police cited a woman with cruelty to animals after her dog died of heat stroke as a result of being left in a car for five hours last week, the first time in years such a case has been reported in the city, according to officials.

If convicted, AnnMarie Sweeney, 38, of Boulder, could be facing up to 90 days in jail for the death of her 7-year-old labrador mix, Dune, on Aug. 4.

According to a police report, Boulder police received an anonymous tip on Aug. 5 that Sweeney brought Dune into Alpine Hospital for Animals, 3210 Valmont Road, the previous day with heat stroke symptoms after being left in the car.

Veterinarians told police when they examined Dune he had a temperature of 107.3 and blue gums and tongue. He was put on oxygen, and eventually transferred to Alpenglow Emergency Center, where he was euthanized.

When police talked to Sweeney, she told them her husband typically takes Dune to work with him, but that she took him to her workplace at Growing Gardens, 1630 Hawthorn Ave., according to the report. Sweeney told police she had rolled the windows up and that Dune was fine when she left him in the back seat of the car at 9 a.m.

Sweeney said she forgot Dune was in the car and did not return to to check on him until 1:40 p.m. — nearly 5 hours later — when she found him unconscious in the car and drove to the veterinarian.

The officer in the report said Sweeney was honest and cooperative during the investigation and "visibly distraught and in distress."

Sweeney declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday.

Boulder animal control supervisor Janee Boswell said it is the first case reported to police of a dog dying after being left in a car in four or five years.

The high temperature on Aug. 4 was listed in the mid-80s, but Boswell said temperatures in a car can rise quickly.

"Our rule of thumb, even on an 82-degree day, the inside of a vehicle can rise to about 105 degrees within 5 to 10 minutes and within 20 minutes it can be 120 to 130 inside the vehicle," Boswell said. "It only takes a few minutes in a car for a dog to experience distress or heat stroke."

Boswell said whenever possible, dog owners should not bring their pets along in the car, even for quick errands.

"Our recommendation is always to leave your dog at home," she said. "Conditions are more steady at home and they can stay cooler and happy."

Leaving a dog in a hot car — even if it is not injured — can result in a municipal ticket for subjecting a dog to unnecessary suffering, a charge that carries a maximum $999 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Owners can also be cited for improper caring for animals, which requires that dogs have access to water at all times.

In Sweeney's case, her animal cruelty charge is actually a state-level Class 1 misdemeanor. She is scheduled for a hearing on Oct. 1.

"We do have municipal as well as state laws that protect animals inside of a vehicle," Boswell said.

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